Family Medicine physician serving Montrose, La Cañada, La Crescenta, Glendale and neighboring areas

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(818) 957-6909
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About the Practice

FAQS

What is a D.O.?
D.O.s or Doctors of Osteopathy are licensed physicians with all of the education and privileges of allopathic physicians (M.D.), authorized to perform surgery and prescribe medication. Both D.O.s and M.D.s complete 4-years of medical school, and both can choose to practice in any specialty of medicine. In addition to receiving all the same training as M.D.s, Osteopaths also receive extensive training in body structure, function, and hands-on manipulation.

The D.O. philosophy is to analyze the body as a whole, looking for the cause of symptoms rather than masking them with medications. Osteopaths are trained to treat these symptoms by isolating the source of the problem, by tapping into the body’s own healing power, and removing the source (a dysfunction) by hands-on manipulation. The American Osteopathic Association has a nice summary here.

Are all D.O.s the same?
No. Only about 5% of Osteopathic Physicians (D.O.s) incorporate Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) into their practice. The remaining D.O.s usually work in traditional medical practices.
What is integrative medicine?
Integrative medicine is a broad term that implies the use of both traditional western medicine and “non-traditional” medicine. “Non-traditional” medicine may be inclusive of the terms complementary, alternative, holistic, eastern, natural medicine, etc.

Integrative medicine approaches wellness from a collaborative perspective to find the most effective path to wellness. Hence, integrative medicine is sometimes referred to as “the best of both worlds.”

What differentiates functional medicine from traditional family medicine?
Functional Medicine is not a replacement for traditional Family Medicine. It encompasses and is a deep dive into what Family Medicine is and has always been. As in traditional Family Medicine, Functional Medicine practitioner looks closely at the myriad interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and complex, chronic disease. A major premise of Functional Medicine is that with science, clinical wisdom, and a deep empathy for the patient, many of the underlying causes of chronic disease can be identified and interventions to remediate those causes can be addressed earlier and more effectively. The modalities that Functional Medicine uses always start with the foundational lifestyle factors of diet, rest, relationships, stress, movement, and exercise. The modalities taught in Functional Medicine are all focused on safety and efficacy with a deep underpinning in the peer-reviewed literature. In fact, Functional Medicine relies on and uses evidence-based medicine as originally conceived, which was to combine peer-reviewed clinical evidence, the clinical expertise of the physician, and patient motivations and preferences. These are all in alignment with traditional Family Medicine.
What about herbs?
Botanical medicinals have been used for centuries in most parts of the world to help the body heal itself. Herbs often are milder than pharmaceuticals and thus may require a longer time to have their therapeutic effects. Herbs can also be dangerous, especially when taken with certain medications. I am familiar with Western herbology and we can incorporate this into your treatment, if appropriate.
What ages do you see?
Newborns to geriatrics. We are family physicians and we love seeing patients of all ages with all types of conditions.
Who will serve as the covering physician when my doctor is not available?
In case of emergency, please dial 911. If an urgent non-emergency arises and it is after office hours, please leave a message on the office phone number and your doctor will respond as soon as possible. Please consider there are times he will not be able to respond immediately, such as when your doctor is exercising or on a plane flight, etc. Occasionally your doctor goes on vacation, at which time a dedicated covering physician will be provided. Usually, Dr. Rahm and Dr. Kuo will cover for one another.